BLUE EARTH — The Blue Earth City Council on Monday took some first steps toward the sale of the downtown buildings known as the Three Sisters.

During a public hearing, the council discussed the possibility of selling the buildings below market value.

“We need to hold this hearing according to state statute,” said City Attorney David Frundt. “Because the council is proposing to sell the buildings below their estimated value.”

City administrator Tim Ibisch said the buildings have a taxable market value of $73,000, or around $50,000 for the south building and $11,000 for each of the other two.

“The city also has about $66,000 in costs that they have put into the buildings at this time,” Ibisch said.

The city has indicated they would sell the buildings for far less than those amounts.

Several citizens voiced opinions about the sale of the buildings, and about public dollars being spent on them.

After the public hearing, the council voted unanimously to sell the buildings below their value, in order to facilitate something positive happening to them.

The council made it clear that the motion did not mean the buildings will be sold to a current developer, Connect the Grey, which has made a proposal to the city.

But, later in the meeting, the council discussed a possible timeline of a sale to Connect the Grey. That would include setting a selling price and terms at the next Blue Earth Economic Development Authority meeting, approval by the city of the proposal and possible sale in July, with final transfer of deed at the Aug. 7 council meeting.

The council also agreed to give Connect the Grey another 90 days exclusive rights to the buildings to continue to work on their project proposal.

In other business, the council:

o Heard an update from the city engineer on all various construction projects in the city. These include the Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center/Green Giant Museum; the northwest housing development; the 13th and Moore street project; and the Public Works building.